


All of the Work and None of the Credit

by BeneaththeHalo



Series: Merthur Party [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Merthur Party, Team Orange, first hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 18:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneaththeHalo/pseuds/BeneaththeHalo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur takes Merlin on a hunt for the first time, and they both realise just how useless Merlin is at it. At the same time, Merlin realises just how unfair being the Crown Prince's manservant can be. My Submission for Merthur Party Prompt 1- the Prince and the Manservant. Go Team Orange!</p>
            </blockquote>





	All of the Work and None of the Credit

Merlin’s entire body ached. His back, his leg, his hands, even his _neck_ … he ached in places he never had before, hurt in muscles he didn’t know existed. And it was all because of that arrogant prince, Arthur Pendragon.

They had been riding for what felt like _hours._ Just the two of them, trudging through the forest on their horses. Arthur, of course, was carrying nothing but his sword and the clothes on his back. Merlin had everything else.

“Why do _I_ have to carry everything?” Merlin complained loudly as they rode. He was growing increasingly uncomfortable, and felt like if they didn’t stop soon, his legs would fall off.

“Because I’m the prince and you’re the manservant,” Arthur reminded him exasperatedly. “By the gods, Merlin, how many times do I have to _tell_ you that? It is your job to carry everything!”

“Just like it’s your job to be an arrogant spoiled brat?” Merlin muttered to himself.

“I heard that!” Arthur looked like he very much wanted to _hit_ Merlin, but he managed to restrain himself. Merlin actually would not have minded very much if Arthur _had_ taken a swing at him; it would’ve broken the monotony nicely, and it would’ve distracted Merlin from the pain he was feeling everywhere else in his body.

“I still don’t see why _I_ had to come along,” Merlin continued, not caring that he was probably making Arthur even angrier. “I don’t know _anything_ about hunting. Surely you could’ve taken some of the knights or something.”

“You’re not wrong about your complete lack of knowledge about anything to do with hunting, Merlin,” said Arthur, sighing heavily. “I have _never_ seen somebody scare away so many animals with such ease. It’s really quite astounding.”

“Well then, you should’ve left me behind,” said Merlin.

“Oh believe me, I wish I could’ve,” Arthur muttered under his breath before speaking again, louder this time. “I had to bring you, _Mer_ lin, because I needed somebody to carry all the supplies and my kills and serve me, not somebody to help me hunt. It’s just my luck my father decided to reward you by making you my personal manservant.”

“I don’t have any kills _to_ carry,” Merlin pointed out.

“Because _you_ scared them off!” Arthur yelled. At the sound of his voice, there was a rustling in the bushes, and Arthur could distinctly make out three brown shapes running away. “Great, just _great_. Now we’ve lost them again!”

“But that time-” Merlin began, but seeing the murderous look on Arthur’s face made him think twice. “Uh, nothing. Sorry.”

Arthur sighed, looking up at the sky. The sun was hanging very low, the sky coloured orange and yellow and pink, and it wouldn’t be long until it was dark. “It doesn’t matter now, anyway,” he said. “We’ll have to make camp now before it’s too dark to see. Here’s as good a spot as any.”

Grateful to finally get a reprieve, Merlin clumsily climbed down from his horse, stumbling as he hit the ground. Arthur got down rather more gracefully, before turning to look at Merlin. “Well?”

“Well what?” said Merlin, confused.

“Well, are you going to put up the tent, or not?” said Arthur.

“You aren’t going to help?” said Merlin. He was exhausted, and his body was _aching_ (he’d barely ridden a horse before, let alone ridden one for so far or so long) and _now_ he had to put up their tent without any help?

“No, I’m not, because-”

“You’re the prince and I’m the manservant, I get it,” Merlin finished. Merlin dug into the bags until he pulled out the tent. “I’ll put it up, then.”

“Good, and after you’ve done that, we need some food,” said Arthur. “We may not have caught any, but we need to eat _something_ tonight. Please tell me you packed some.”

“Of course I did,” said Merlin, immediately reaching into the bag and pulling out the aforementioned food. “I’m not an idiot, Arthur.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Arthur muttered.

Now it was Merlin’s turn to yell, “I heard that!” and glare angrily at Arthur. Arthur merely grinned at Merlin, and looked like he very much wanted to stick out his tongue at his servant. Arthur always got a great kick out of riling Merlin up, and it had negated his foul mood somewhat.

“Well, at least you can get _something_ right,” said Arthur. He reached out and took the food out of Merlin’s hands, earning a stunned squeak from the servant. “What? I need something to do while you put up the tent.”

“So you eat and I work, is that how it goes then?” said Merlin.

“Yep,” Arthur replied. “Because _you’re_ the manservant-”

“And _you're_ the prince,” Merlin finished.

“See, now you’re getting it!” Arthur declared, clapping Merlin on the shoulder while wearing that stupid patronising grin of his. Unlike Arthur, Merlin didn't resist the urge to stick his tongue out at his adversary, but the prince merely sat down on a rock and started eating. Merlin looked at Arthur, hoping he'd at least offer _some_ food, but none was forthcoming. Sighing, Merlin turned back to the tent and began putting it up.

Having never put up a tent as large as this one before, it took Merlin close to an hour, but finally he was done.

"Well, it's about time," Arthur commented. "Light a fire, would you? I'm getting cold, and I know you are too. I can see you shivering from here."

This time Merlin chose not to complain; instead he just complied with Arthur's order, collecting the firewood and then bending down to light the fire. Here, at least, was something he could not do wrong. He had lit plenty of fires in his lifetime, both back in Ealdor and on his journey to Camelot. The fire sparked within seconds and Merlin stepped back, proud of his work.

"At least you can do _something_ right," said Arthur from right behind Merlin, making him jump. "Here." Arthur handed Merlin the remaining food, earning a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I'm starving," Merlin admitted.

"I don't know why," said Arthur. "You haven't done anything."

"I've been carrying all the supplies all day!" Merlin reminded him.

"Well _I've_ been hunting," Arthur reminded him. "That takes a lot more energy than just carrying things, Merlin, trust me."

"Some hunter you are. I can’t see how you’d be very hungry, considering you’ve caught absolutely nothing,” said Merlin.

Arthur sighed, turning away from Merlin and crouching in front of the fire, and Merlin realised he’d crossed some sort of line. “Look, sire, I- I’m sorry if I went too far…” said Merlin uncertainly, but Arthur shook his head.

“No, it’s not you, Merlin,” Arthur assured him. “Even though you _are_ the reason we haven’t caught anything. No, it’s just… my father expects me to come back with a massive haul of trophies. If I don’t, he’s not going to be very happy.”

“He’ll be disappointed in you,” Merlin realised, Arthur nodding curtly in response. Merlin’s heart sank in his chest, as the guilt rose in him like bile. He knew he'd made a lot of noise, tripping over roots and logs and not even being half as sneaky in stalking the wild animals as Arthur, and he knew it was his fault all their prey had been scared away. What he hadn't realised, however, was how King Uther would react if they came back with nothing. He'd be disappointed in his son, ashamed of him, and that wasn't something that Merlin wanted to cause.

 

Merlin awoke _very_ early the next morning, his mind racing. The sky had only just started lightening, and it would be a while before the sun had fully risen. Arthur was fast asleep on the other side of the tent, facing the opposite way to Merlin. His mouth was wide open and he was snoring slightly, and Merlin would've found the sight highly comical if he didn't still feel so guilty. He certainly didn't want to lead to Arthur being humiliated in front of his father –   _again_. The whole Valiant thing was still fresh in everyone's mind, and even though Merlin had been proven to be right all along, he knew that Arthur would be absolutely _furious_ with him if he was the reason Uther was unhappy with his heir again.

Making up his mind, Merlin tossed back the blanket he was sleeping under, careful to be as quiet as possible so he didn't wake the sleeping prince. He then snuck out of the tent and, putting on his brown jacket to keep warm in the night air and grabbing a crossbow, headed off into the forest.

It didn't take Merlin long to find what he was looking for: two deer, grazing next to the lake. Merlin hated to do this, hated to be the one to end the life of an innocent animal, but he felt that this time it was his only option. He muttered one of the spells he'd learnt from his magic book as he fired the crossbow, ensuring it hit its target. He then kept going, where he found several rabbits emerging from their sleep, and used his magic to kill them as well. Feeling grim from his kills yet satisfied they were enough, Merlin headed back to the camp with his trophies, hoping that Arthur was still asleep.

When Arthur finally emerged from the tent, it was to find Merlin fully dressed and sitting by the burnt out campfire from the previous night, looking very bleary-eyed. “You look like you haven’t slept,” he said.

“I didn’t, much,” Merlin admitted.

“Well why the hell-” Arthur began, but then he stopped when he saw the dead deer and rabbits that definitely hadn’t been there the night before. “Where did these come from?”

“I got them,” Merlin admitted sheepishly. “I felt bad that I’d scared away all the animals yesterday, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble with your father, so…”

“You killed all these?” Arthur said. “ _You_?” Merlin nodded. “Wow, Merlin, I never thought you’d have it in you.”

“Gee, thanks,” said Merlin sarcastically.

“Don’t mention it. Now let’s pack up and head back to Camelot.”

 

The first thing Merlin and Arthur did when they arrived back at Camelot was head to Uther’s dining room, where the king was eating his lunch. Arthur presented the catch to Uther, who was absolutely delighted with it. Merlin was happy, too – until Uther praised Arthur for the entire catch, and the prince did nothing to correct him. He just nodded along with Uther’s praise, thanking him and smiling, not even giving _some_ of the credit to Merlin. Merlin kept trying to make eye contact with Arthur, the question of _why_ in his eyes, but Arthur refused to look at him.

“Why the _hell_ did you take all of the credit?” Merlin demanded when they were walking back to Arthur’s chambers.

“Like you said, Merlin, you didn’t want me to get in trouble with my father,” said Arthur. “I couldn’t exactly tell him it was you who’d made all the kills. He wouldn’t believe me, anyway.”

“You could’ve at least given me _some_ of the credit,” Merlin pointed out.

“He wouldn’t have listened,” said Arthur. “My father only listens to what he wants to hear, even if it’s not what’s being said.”

“You’re secretly enjoying this, aren’t you?” said Merlin, studying Arthur with an annoyed look. “Taking credit for something _I_ did.”

“Well, maybe a little,” Arthur admitted, and then he smiled. “But that’s the way it has to be. Because, Merlin-”

“You’re the prince and I’m the manservant,” Merlin sighed.

Arthur ruffled Merlin’s hair. “Exactly!” he said brightly.

And Merlin wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
